Game apparatus.



No, 707,29l. Patented Aug. I9, |902;

' S` A. AKINS.

GAME APPARATUS.

\App1ica`tion led Dec. 13, 1900. Renewed July 7, 1902.)

@Lmm A fi No. 70129:. f Pa'tented Aug. 49, |902. s. A. Akms.

GAME APPARATUS.. (Application med Dc. 1s. i900. mnewea July 7,1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheetsfsheat 2.

1H: mums PETERS 0o.. PHOTO-urna.. wAsHlNo'roN. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN `A.y AKINS, OF MERWIN, MISSOURI.

GAME APPARATUS.

ySPIEGIFICA'JIION:'forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,291, dated-August 19, 1909. Application ned Beamter 1s',v 1900. Renewed July 7, 1902. serial No. 114.641. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. AKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merwin, in the county of Bates and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefull Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I'do declare the following to be a full, clear,'and' exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the Vart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to game apparatus in general, and more particularly to that class wherein a ball is shot from a holder to trav'-Y as also to provide an arrangement wherein the ball will have a positivey operation each time it is shot. I

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the severall views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is asection taken through one of the indicators and showing it in its dormant or normal position, the operative position of the indicator being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is asection'takeu through the bell and its striker.` Fig. @is

an elevation showing the board and its stand,f the board being in unfolded position ready for playing and adjusted'to uncover the support for the lid of the box which the board is in the form of. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing the board in its closed or folded position. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken vertically through one side of the apparatus, this view showing' a board in horizontal position instead of its normal slanting position.

Referring now to the drawings, the game apparatus comprises a stand which includes a center block 10, provided with supporting- 5o legs 11, and pivotally mounted upon the upare ilanges 16, and these flanges are slidably engaged with the guide-slots 17 in the de'- pending flanges 19 on the bottom-of the section 20 of a case, this case including also a section 2l, the two sections being hinged together, so that the case may be opened and closed. 'The case may be slid to the outer end of the portion 13 ofthe cross-beam, and it may be then opened to lie with the section 21- upon the'portion 14 of the cross-beam and resting directly upon a rubber or other yieldablel stop 23. The section 21 of the case is of greater height than the section 20, so that the upper edges of the two sections when the case is opened will lie in a common plane. The anges with which the case is engaged are inclined, so that when the case is opened it will lie in an inclined plane, the game being played with the lower edge of the case next to the player. cally is disposed in the section 20 of the case, while the counter is located in the section 21.

The section 20v is in the form of an inclosure,`as illustrated, and disposed transversely thereof are a number of ribs 30, disposed parallel and diagonally of the member 20, and between these several ribs are alleys 31 of substantially equal dimensions. The ribs terminate at their left-hand ends-that is, at their uppermost ends-#spaced slightly from the inner or left-handleide of the member 20, which is the hinge side thereof, so that a runway 33 is formed, from which the alleys 3l branch, as shown, and in the operation of the apparatus a ball is thrown or shot from the lower end of the runway toward'the upper` being a return-passage 34: at the outer ends roo The game apparatus specifiof the ribs between them and the side of the casing. The ball is shot by means of a gun consisting of a block 35, which is secured at the lower end of the runway and through which is formed a cylindrical passage communicating with a perforation in the end of the casing. A plunger-head is disposed in the passage in the block, and the stem thereof is passed outwardly through the perforation in the casing, this outer end having an enlargement to limit its inward movement. An elastic band 37 is disposed transversely of this rear end of the stem ot' the plunger and has its ends attached to the end of the casing, so that when the plunger is drawn rearwardly and then released it will be moved violently forward and will discharge the ball which has been previously placed in the bore of the gun-z'. e., the passage in the block. The path taken by the ball in its return movement determines the score of the shot, and to indicate the score without disclosing the numbers of the passages before the shot is made a series of tumblers are provided, one for each alley. The tumblers in question are shown at 38, and each consists of a metallic plate having ears 39 depending therefrom, and

Athrough the ears of all of the tumblers is passed a common pivot-rod 39', which is iixed upon the upper edges of the ribs 30, near the outer ends thereof, the ears at their lower portions lying between the ribs to prevent lateral displacement of the tumblers. On the under side of each tumbler is marked a number indicating the score of that alley, and depending from the inner end of the tumbler is a finger 40, which. lies in and transversely of the alley and in the path of the movement of the ball through the alley, so that the ball may strike it and move the tumbler pivotally to reverse its position. A stop-bar 41 is disposed upon the ribs 30 in position to receive and support the tumblers in their reversed positions. The uppermost alley, lying between the uppermost rib and the end of the case, has no tumbler, so that the ball in passing therethrough will make no score, while the next alley, which is the most difticult to make the ball go through, is provided with a bell which is operated when the ball passes through the alley. The bell, which may be a common form of gong, as shown, is mounted upon a supporting-post, while the clapper 42 has its rod pivoted upon a rod 42' upon the ribs 30, between the bell and an arch 4:3, the ends of which latter are mounted upon the ribs 30 at opposite sides of the arch. The upper end or head of the clapper is in position to strike the gong when the clapper is swung pivotally, while the lower end of the clapper depends into the alley and in position to be struck and operated by the ball when passing through the alley. The numbers on the tumblers progress from l0 to 90, beginning with the lowermost tumbler, while the bell indicates 100, although it will of course be understood that the tumblers and bell may be given any other numbers or otherwise marked, as desired.

In order that the scores made by the players may be recorded, a counter is provided and is placed in the section 2l of the case. This counter consists of a block 45, having a number of longitudinal series of holes, the face of the block being painted in stripes of diiterent colors, each stripe including a single series of holes, and for these holes are provided a number of pairs of pins, the pins corresponding in number to the number of stripes. Each player has two pins of different colors,

-corresponding to the colors of two mutually adjacent stripes on the counter. The holes of one stripe count part way through the game, and the holes of the second stripe count the rest of the way through the game,

and by using the pins they may be placed in l the holes of the corresponding stripes to indicate the score.

It will of course be understood that in practice various modilications of the structure shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the apparatus may be used for scoring in different ways and may be used for different specific games, the pivotal mounting of the structure upon the stand permitting the players to remain in their chairs while the apparatus is swung from one to another of them.

What is claimed isl. A gameapparatus comprising a runway, a gun at one end of the runway, a plurality of alleys leading laterally from the runway, and a reversible tumbler pivoted above each alley and having a portion depending into the alley for engagement by a body passing through the alley to reverse the tumbler and a common support disposed to receive the tumblers in their reversed positions.

2. A game apparatus comprising a runway, a plurality of alleys leading laterally from ICO IIO

the runway, a gun at one end of the runway and adapted to discharge a ball along the runway, the outermost alley being unobstructed, a bell, a striker for the bell pivotally mounted with one end in an alley for engagement by a body discharged from the gun and passing through the alley to operate the striker, and a reversible tumbler for each of the remaining alleys, each of said tumblers having a depending portion lying normally in its respective alley for engagement by a body discharged from the gun, to operate the tumbler.

3. A game apparatus comprising a runway, a plurality of alleys leading laterally from the runway, a gun at one end of the runway to discharge a body through the runway, a bell mounted above a runway, a pivoted clapper or striker having a portion depending into an alley for operation by a body passing through the alley, a pivot-rod disposed transversely of the alleys, a reversible tumbler for each of the remaining alleys mounted upon In ltestimony whereof I hereunto sign'rny' the pivot-rod and adapted' for reversal, a, dename, in the presence of .two subscribing Witpending portion on each tumbler lying nornesses, on the'30tl1 day of October, 1900.

mally in its respective alley for engagement A lSTEPHEN A. AKINS. 5 by a body passing through the alley to oper- Witnesses:

ate it, and a common rest-bar disposed to re- A. S. ROSIER,

ceive the tumblers in their reversed positions. WILLIAM H. KESSLER. 

